﻿EXTINCT MONOTREMES. 279 



ORDER MONOTREMATA. 



As already mentioned, our knowledge of the past history of 

 this group is practically a blank ; the only fossil forms that 

 can be definitely included in it being an extinct representative 

 of each of the existing families. 



FAMILY ORNITHORHYNCHID.E {supra, p. 230). 



GENUS ORNITHORHYNCPIUS {suprh, p. 231). 



I. ORNITHORKYNCHUS AGILIS. 



Orniihorhynchiis agilis, De Vis, Proc. Roy. Soc, Queensland, 

 1885, p. 35. 



This species is described on the evidence of one ramus of 

 the lower jaw, and a tibia, or bone of the lower leg, whicli 

 apparently belonged to an adult animal, and thus indicate 

 that the fossil Duck-bill was a considerably smaller animal 

 than its existing representative. 



Distribution. — Queensland. 



FAMILY ECHIDNID^ {supra, p. 240). 



GENUS ECHIDNA {suprci, p. 241). 



I. ECHIDNA OWEN I. 



Echidna oiveni, Krefft, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 4, vol. i., p. 

 113 (1863); Lydekker, Cat. Foss. Mamm. Brit. Mus., 

 pt. v., p. 295 (1887). 

 EcJiidna ramsayi, Owen, Phil. Trans., 1884, p. 273. 



A species considerably exceeding in size the existing Papuan 

 Proechidna bruijni, and possibly referable to the same genus. 



Distribution.— New South Wales. 



